Career Change to School Counselor

[mommy2naomi]

So I've decided that I'm going to change careers to become a school counselor. I have a Masters in Information Systems and Bachelors in Computer Science so this is totally unrelated. But what I've learned about myself since I've had children is that I love to work with kids and I love to be in a school setting. I'm also really good at communicating with different groups of people and doing research.

I found a good Masters program that is a public school so the cost would be about $15K and its pretty close to my house. Then there is a LONG internship that is unpaid and supposedly the competition for jobs is high. So I'm sort of afraid of the unknown and afraid of not finding a job. Anyone go through something like this? Any success stories?

[GoestoShow]

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Edited by GoestoShow - 12/13/10 at 10:01am

[txbikegrrl]

You may have already done this but make sure to check your state requirements. Here school counselors are former teachers and are paid very well. But because of the pay issue principals hire as few as they can and use them for test coordinators (to handle all the mandatory testing) as well as admin designees so they are very busy and not really doing much actual counseling. Social workers get paid much less and are usually hired on a contract basis. If you want to stay in the area, could you meet with some counselors in nearby districts to see what they are really doing? I'm in a large urban district and have a PhD and I don't get to do any research. We have a whole department for that and if I wanted to to a project it would take a LOT to get it approved and honestly there is no time in the day...

[mommy2naomi]

Originally Posted by txbikegrrl

You may have already done this but make sure to check your state requirements. Here school counselors are former teachers and are paid very well. But because of the pay issue principals hire as few as they can and use them for test coordinators (to handle all the mandatory testing) as well as admin designees so they are very busy and not really doing much actual counseling. Social workers get paid much less and are usually hired on a contract basis. If you want to stay in the area, could you meet with some counselors in nearby districts to see what they are really doing? I'm in a large urban district and have a PhD and I don't get to do any research. We have a whole department for that and if I wanted to to a project it would take a LOT to get it approved and honestly there is no time in the day...

That used to be the case but as of now, anyone can become a school counselor as long as they have a MS in Counseling and get licensed.

[Poodge]

Not sure if this would be a fit for you or not, but it may be possible to find a job inside the school district with your current degrees. I have my BS in Mechanical Engineering. I was going back to school to earn a Masters in Education, but DH and I had to move and no school here would except my credits. I started looking at other options (not wanting to start over when I was half way done) and I found a job with a school district as an engineer. I don't get to work one on one with the students, but I do work in the schools and on projects that make the schools a better place for students. I have found it to be very rewarding. Best of luck with your decision!

[mommy2naomi]

Originally Posted by Poodge

Not sure if this would be a fit for you or not, but it may be possible to find a job inside the school district with your current degrees. I have my BS in Mechanical Engineering. I was going back to school to earn a Masters in Education, but DH and I had to move and no school here would except my credits. I started looking at other options (not wanting to start over when I was half way done) and I found a job with a school district as an engineer. I don't get to work one on one with the students, but I do work in the schools and on projects that make the schools a better place for students. I have found it to be very rewarding. Best of luck with your decision!

I've thought about just teaching technology or doing some sort of tech job within the school setting but I'm finding that I'm just not that into IT stuff. I'm just not techy enough... if that makes sense.

Plus I want to work school hours and be able to spend some of the summer with my kids. Most of the admin positions that I saw for the district are 12 months.

[Luv2Bake]

I'm a former teacher who is in grad school so I can work as a school media specialist/librarian. I considered school counseling, and decided against it because of the longer practicum and because in many (perhaps even most) public schools, counselors are handling more and more of the burden of all of the standardized testing which means less one-on-one student time.There are a few school counselors in my library program now who are leaving for that reason. Also, guidance positions are frequently cut with the budget crunches. I'm not saying this to try to make you feel bad about your new career choice, just so you get a realistic picture of what your job will look like. Good luck.

[mommy2naomi]

Originally Posted by Luv2Bake

I'm a former teacher who is in grad school so I can work as a school media specialist/librarian. I considered school counseling, and decided against it because of the longer practicum and because in many (perhaps even most) public schools, counselors are handling more and more of the burden of all of the standardized testing which means less one-on-one student time.There are a few school counselors in my library program now who are leaving for that reason. Also, guidance positions are frequently cut with the budget crunches. I'm not saying this to try to make you feel bad about your new career choice, just so you get a realistic picture of what your job will look like. Good luck.

I've heard this information before about counselor being responsible for standardized testing. What exactly does that mean? What role do counselors play in that?

[mommy2naomi]

Just wanted to update this post... I was accepted into the program and will be starting this summer.

[meandmine]

Originally Posted by mommy2naomi

I've heard this information before about counselor being responsible for standardized testing. What exactly does that mean? What role do counselors play in that?

Congrats on your acceptance. Follow your dream.

As for what is testing coordinator -- a headache -- imagine a school of 500 (that would be small) with 3 classes at each grade level K-6th -- you would have to organize all the testing materials, the scheduling of testing, the arrangement for subs if the testing were done one on one by teacher (DRA, for example), the security of testing material and testing rooms; training of teachers to administer the test; re-arrangement of regular school schedule so that testing could take place. Definitely requires a mastery of excel.

In our school, we issue three different tests throughout the year -- it is a mammoth job, BUT in my school we are so huge AND Title One so we have a 1/2 time testing coordinator which means our counselors (yes we have two) do a lot of counseling.

They are also the school cheerleaders -- trying to work on overall staff morale as well as spearheading our Positive Behavior/Citizenship program for our students. In recent years they are also leaders in after-school programs for our students since those programs contribute to student well-being.

M